If you were looking for the usual glitzy, high-stress Hollywood awards vibe on March 14, 2025, you might have been a little confused heading toward UCLA’s Royce Hall. The 75th Annual ACE Eddie Awards 2025 didn't look like a standard industry gala. For starters, the dress code was "Come As You Are." No tuxes. No floor-length gowns. Just a bunch of the world's best storytellers in hoodies and jeans, coming together after a brutal season of California wildfires that had actually forced the ceremony to be postponed from its original January date.
It felt right. Editing is, by nature, a "behind the scenes" job, and this year, the community felt more like a family than a competitive circuit.
The Big Winners: Wicked and Emilia Pérez Take the Crown
The ACE Eddies are often seen as the ultimate "litmus test" for the Oscars. While the Academy sometimes gets distracted by big-name actors or flashy cinematography, the Eddies are voted on by the people who actually know how a movie is built—frame by frame.
This year, the theatrical honors were split between two vastly different cinematic achievements. Juliette Welfling took home the trophy for Best Edited Feature Film (Drama) for her work on Emilia Pérez. It’s a rhythmic, complex piece of work that had to balance tonal shifts that would make most editors' heads spin. On the other side of the aisle, Myron Kerstein, ACE, grabbed the win for Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy) for Wicked.
If you think a musical is just about cutting to the beat, Kerstein’s win proves otherwise. The pacing in Wicked had to handle massive world-building while keeping the emotional core of Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship front and center. It’s a masterclass in scale.
A Quick Look at the Major Film Winners
- Best Edited Feature Film (Drama): Emilia Pérez (Juliette Welfling)
- Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy): Wicked (Myron Kerstein, ACE)
- Best Edited Animated Feature: The Wild Robot (Mary Blee)
- Best Edited Documentary Feature: Will & Harper (Monique Zavistovski, ACE)
It’s kinda fascinating to see The Wild Robot beat out heavyweights like Inside Out 2 and Moana 2. Mary Blee’s work on that film is incredibly tactile; you can almost feel the "cuts" in the emotional beats. Honestly, it was one of the most deserved wins of the night.
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Why the Postponement Changed the Energy
The ACE Eddie Awards 2025 were supposed to happen on January 18. Then the wildfires hit Southern California. Instead of just picking a new date and moving on, the American Cinema Editors (ACE) turned the event into a fundraiser.
A portion of the proceeds from the night went directly to wildfire relief. This shift from "industry celebration" to "community support" really stripped away the ego that usually haunts awards season. ACE President Sabrina Plisco mentioned that the extra time allowed the organization to "readjust and show resilience." You could feel that in the room. It wasn't about who had the best campaign; it was about the craft.
TV Wins: Shōgun and Baby Reindeer Dominate
The small screen categories were just as stacked. Shōgun (specifically the episode "A Dream of a Dream") won for Best Edited Drama Series. Maria Gonzales, ACE, and Aika Miyake have been getting praise all year for how they handled the deliberate, tension-heavy pacing of that show. It’s not fast cutting; it’s smart cutting.
Then you have Baby Reindeer. Peter H. Oliver and Benjamin Gerstein won for Best Edited Limited Series. If you’ve seen the show, you know the editing is basically a character itself—it’s claustrophobic, frantic, and uncomfortable. That’s a hard needle to thread without losing the audience, but they nailed it.
Other Notable TV Victories
- Best Edited Single-Camera Comedy: What We Do in the Shadows (Liza Cardinale, ACE & Dane McMaster, ACE)
- Best Edited Multi-Camera Comedy: Frasier (Russell Griffin, ACE)
- Best Edited Non-Scripted Series: Welcome to Wrexham (Tim Wilsbach, ACE, et al.)
- Best Edited Animated Series: X-Men '97 (Michelle McMillan)
Seeing X-Men '97 take the win for "Remember It" was a huge moment for fans. That episode was a total emotional wrecking ball, and the pacing was a massive reason why the "Gala" sequence landed so hard.
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Honoring the Legends: Jon M. Chu and the Giants
The Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award went to Jon M. Chu. It makes sense, right? Between Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights, and now Wicked, Chu has shown he deeply understands the relationship between music, movement, and the edit.
But the real heart of the night belonged to the Career Achievement recipients: Paul Hirsch, ACE, and Maysie Hoy, ACE.
Paul Hirsch is a legend. We’re talking about the guy who edited Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. If you like movies, you like Paul Hirsch’s work. Maysie Hoy has a similarly legendary run, particularly her long-standing collaboration with Robert Altman on films like The Player. Listening to them speak was like getting a 50-year masterclass in ten minutes.
The YouTube Shift: A New Era for ACE
One thing people might have missed about the ACE Eddie Awards 2025 is the massive rule change that happened later in the year. In August 2025, the ACE Board approved a new category—Best Edited Short—and officially opened the doors to YouTube and other digital platforms.
Basically, they realized that the "caliber of editing" on high-end digital platforms is now matching what we see on traditional TV. This isn't about some kid in their bedroom; it’s about acknowledging that the craft of storytelling is evolving. If a documentary is 45 minutes long and premieres on a verified YouTube channel with a massive audience, ACE is saying: "Yeah, that counts."
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Putting the Wins in Perspective
It’s easy to look at a list of winners and just see names. But the Eddies are different. They represent the "Invisible Art." When you watch Emilia Pérez or Shōgun, you aren't supposed to notice the cuts. You’re supposed to feel the story.
The 2025 ceremony proved that even when the world is literally on fire, the community of people who "stitch" our culture together stays strong. They traded their black ties for casual wear and turned an awards show into a moment of solidarity.
Actionable Insights for Aspiring Editors
If you're looking at these winners and wondering how to get there, here are a few takeaways from the 75th Eddies:
- Study the "Pacing of Silence": Looking at Shōgun’s win, it’s clear that knowing when not to cut is just as important as the cut itself.
- Cross-Genre Literacy: Myron Kerstein’s win for Wicked highlights how vital it is to understand music and choreography, even if you’re a "narrative" editor.
- Digital is Valid: With the new rules allowing YouTube submissions, don't wait for a studio to hire you. Build your portfolio on digital platforms; the industry is finally officially watching.
- Community Matters: The shift to a "Come As You Are" fundraiser reminded everyone that networking isn't about fancy clothes; it's about supporting your peers in the trenches.
The ACE Eddie Awards 2025 will likely be remembered more for its heart and its timing than just its trophy count. It was the year the editors stepped out of the dark rooms and showed us how much they actually care about the world outside the frame.